Review: Bound Stems

One of the strongest local records released this year, Bound Stems’ “The Family Afloat,” the follow-up to its extraordinary 2006 release “Appreciation Night,” again on Flameshovel, warrants repeated listens, each more rewarding than the last. Nothing has ever been simple with this band—the structural complexity of each of “Appreciation Night”’s songs can attest to that—and “A Family Afloat” isn’t any different; though not as surface-level complicated as its predecessor, vocalist Bobby Gallivan makes up for it with his layered lyrical content. The music, however, is still meaty, the melodies better than anything the band’s done before. Comparing the two releases, in all honesty, is a reckless endeavor, but I’m pretty high on this one right now and have been since I first heard it earlier this summer. The confidence exuded on this release, one that finds the band unafraid to allow itself to face vulnerability, doesn’t let up until the whole affair is complete. (Tom Lynch)